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More than two dozen protesters gathered outside the Museum of Modern Art in New York on October 6, 2026, urging it to remove trustee Leon Black because of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The protesters said Black’s board position lends legitimacy to him; MoMA’s response and whether it will take action were not included in the report.
More than two dozen protesters gathered outside the Museum of Modern Art in New York on October 6, 2026, urging the museum to remove trustee Leon Black over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Organizers argued that keeping Black on the board helps rehabilitate his public reputation and gives him influence over the museum’s cultural decisions; the report did not include a response from MoMA or indicate that the museum had announced a change.
The action included members of the feminist campaign We Are UltraViolet and its Epstein Accountability Project, the research initiative Time & Memory Project, and the mobile Epstein-Trump Reading Room, created by the Institute for Primary Facts. Participants assembled near the museum and called for Black’s removal from its board, according to Hyperallergic’s report from the protest.
The reading room is a free installation that travels around the United States. It presents a timeline of President Donald Trump’s relationship with Epstein alongside thousands of books containing material from released documents commonly called the “Epstein Files.” The report says Black was mentioned in those materials more than 8,500 times. That count is a raw number of mentions; the source provides no comparison baseline, and a mention alone does not establish wrongdoing.
Black has faced multiple rape allegations, which he denies, according to the report. None of those allegations has resulted in a conviction. The protest focused on his association with Epstein and his continuing role as a MoMA trustee; it did not establish that Black was convicted of a crime or that the museum had endorsed the allegations.
The Board Seat Under Protest
The dispute places a question about institutional responsibility before a major cultural organization: whether a trustee’s continued presence affects public trust in the museum, regardless of whether the board member has been convicted of a crime. Protesters contend that a position at MoMA confers standing and influence, and that the museum’s choice to retain Black can be read as lending him legitimacy.
Nicole Regalado, vice president of campaigns at We Are UltraViolet, told Hyperallergic that trustees help determine which artists are celebrated and whose stories reach the public. Her argument is that board membership is not merely honorary: trustees participate in decisions that can shape a cultural institution’s priorities and reputation. The report does not detail Black’s specific responsibilities or describe any direct role he has played in particular MoMA programming.
The action also reflects the continuing public scrutiny of people and institutions connected to Epstein. For MoMA, the immediate issue raised by protesters is whether it will address demands about Black’s board position. For visitors and the museum community, the unanswered question is how the institution evaluates a trustee’s continued service amid serious allegations and reputational concerns.
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Black, Epstein and MoMA
Black is a billionaire financier and a member of MoMA’s board, according to Hyperallergic. The report describes scrutiny of his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, as intensifying. It does not provide a detailed account of the relationship or specify which interactions are at issue, so the protest’s broader demand is more fully described than the underlying chronology.
The demonstration took place as groups involved in Epstein-related accountability work brought research and public education projects to the museum area. The Institute for Primary Facts’ mobile reading room combines a timeline concerning Trump and Epstein with books drawn from released records. The report says Black appears more than 8,500 times in the files, but does not identify the documents or explain the circumstances behind those references. Their presence in released materials should not be treated by itself as proof of misconduct.
Hyperallergic reported that Black denies multiple rape allegations and that no conviction has resulted from them. Those allegations are distinct from the protest’s concern about his connection to Epstein and his governance role at MoMA. The article’s headline characterizes protesters’ position; “sanitizing” is their criticism, not an established finding about the museum’s intent.
“By serving on MoMA’s board, whether it’s intentional or not, MoMA is helping to sanitize Leon Black’s reputation.”
— Nicole Regalado, vice president of campaigns at We Are UltraViolet, speaking to Hyperallergic
Trump Epstein relationship timeline book
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MoMA’s Response Is Unreported
The available report does not say whether MoMA responded to the protest, whether the museum plans to review Black’s board membership, or whether he has commented on the demonstration. It also does not report any decision by the museum or provide a timeline for one.
The source does not explain the basis or circumstances of the more than 8,500 mentions of Black in the released files. A count of mentions is not, on its own, evidence that each reference describes misconduct. The allegations against Black and the protesters’ characterization of his relationship with Epstein should remain distinct from confirmed legal outcomes: the report says he denies the rape allegations and that none has led to a conviction.
It is also unclear whether the protest will prompt action by MoMA’s board or draw further demonstrations. The report documents the October 6 gathering and its demands, but does not establish what effect the action will have.
primary source documents collection
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Watch for a Museum Decision
The next development to watch for is whether MoMA or its board responds to the demand that Black be removed. The source gives no indication that a board meeting, review, or announcement has been scheduled, so no specific decision date can be reported.
Any subsequent account should distinguish the museum’s response from the protesters’ allegations and from the contents of the released records. For now, what is confirmed is that activists staged a public action and called for Black’s removal; whether the campaign leads to a change in his trusteeship remains unknown.
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Key Questions
What happened outside MoMA on October 6?
More than two dozen people gathered near the museum to call for trustee Leon Black’s removal, citing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Who organized or joined the protest?
Participants included members of We Are UltraViolet and its Epstein Accountability Project, Time & Memory Project, and the mobile Epstein-Trump Reading Room, created by the Institute for Primary Facts.
Why do protesters want Black removed?
They argue that his continued board service gives him cultural influence and helps legitimize his reputation. That is the protesters’ position, not a reported finding about MoMA’s intent.
What does the report say about the allegations against Black?
The report says Black faces multiple rape allegations, which he denies, and that none has resulted in a conviction. Those allegations should not be presented as proven facts.
Has MoMA said whether Black will remain on the board?
The report does not include a statement from MoMA or describe a decision about Black’s board seat. Whether the museum will respond or take action remains unclear.
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